In March, a fourth-grade student named Xu from Southeast University in Nanjing was exposed on social media for posting videos of him abusing and killing cats. The online community was shocked by the cruelty displayed in the clips, with one video showing Xu putting a cat into a bucket and repeatedly stomping on its head. Despite the outcry, the Nanjing police chose to educate Xu and his parents without imposing any formal punishment.
After being rejected by Nanjing University, Xu applied to Lanzhou University in northwestern China and was granted a face-to-face interview. However, he declined an interview request from Red Star News, stating that speaking to the media could potentially cause further controversy on the internet.
The School of Physics did not provide an explanation for Xu’s failure to be admitted but mentioned that they had received numerous complaints about him mistreating cats. According to the university’s admissions guidelines, applicants’ moral and political qualifications are taken into consideration, and failure to meet those criteria may result in denial of admission. The school official mentioned that the incidents of cat abuse were taken very seriously and may have impacted the admission decision.
Xu issued a letter of apology after acknowledging his mistake but expressed uncertainty about how his responses to the media would be received by the public. The online videos of Xu’s atrocious acts against cats have sparked widespread condemnation on mainland social media platforms. While some individuals believe that Xu’s actions deserve harsh consequences, others argue that his talent should outweigh his transgressions. The debate over Xu’s fate continues to unfold online as differing opinions emerge on how his behavior should be addressed.
